Mechanically-operated musical instrument.



PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908.

E. H- KLABER.

MEOHANIUALLY OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-14, 1906.

3 SHEETSSHEBT l.

g I [nreniol' ucmms PETERS 00.. \wsnmcrou, u. c.

No. 877,721. PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908. B. H. KLABER.

MEOHANIOALLY OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14. 1906.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

[II/en Zor Qiig THE mmms PETERS cc.. wnsnmaron. D. c.

No. 877,721. PATENTED JAN. 28, 190s'.- E. H. KLABER.

MEGHANIGALLY OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.14, 1906.

3 SHEETS- SHEET 3.

Q2 (D N $3 7% 1275756519 N 1/611 for UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMILE HERZ KLABER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOE TO AUGUSTUS DAVIDKLABER, OF

LONDON, ENGLAND.

MEGHANICALLY-OPERATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1908.

Application filed August 14, 1906. Serial No. 330.5%.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMILE HERZ KLABER, a subject of the King of GreatBritain and Ireland, and residing at 94 Regent street, in the county ofLondon, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inltlechanically-O p erated Musical Instruments, of which the following isa specification.

The invention relates to mechanically operated musicall]'.lSl)1.L1l116l1tS, such as pianos and the like, of the type in. whicha perforated. music sheet passes over a tracker bar. It is desirable insuch instruments that the at tachment or fitting comprising the trackerbar, music winding and re-winding devices and so forth should bedisposed below the keyboard so as to avoid inconvenience when operatingthe piano by hand and for other reasons but although various devices ofthe type indicated have been proposed these have commonly possessed thedefect that the music sheet is not conveniently seen when in operationand thus the expression marks and other indications on the music cannotbe followed.

The object of the present invention is to overcome this difliculty bythe provision of an attachment or device which although disposed in thedesired position below the keyboard nevertheless allows the music to bereadily seen when the piano is operated.

The present invention thus consists in an attachment or device of thetype indicated having as its main feature an arm or frame pivoted ormounted below the keyboard of the instrument and adapted on the one handto be swung out and so allow the music to be readily seen when theinstrument is in operation, and on the other hand to be returned orWithdrawn below the keyboard when not require d.

The invention preferably also comprises as subsidiary features a secondpivoted swing arm or frame and a slidably mounted tracker bar, thenature and functions of which will be hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which form part of thespecification :Figure 1 shows a front view of one form of the inventionin its operative position; Fig. 2 being a corresponding end view andFig. 3 an inverted plan, while Fig. 4, shows an end view 4 of the devlcein its inoperative pos1t1on.

In carrying the mventlon into effect according to one form as applied byway of eX- ample to a piano, and as shown in the accompanying drawings,I provide a plate, 0, adapted to be screwed or otherwise fastened belowthe keyboard, 6, of the piano, and below this plate I slidably mount asecond plate a, carrying the tracker bar proper, (1, provided with theusual tubular attachments, e, or the like. Slots, f, in the plate, a,are shown engaging with screw pins, 9, in the plate, a, so as to allowthe required sliding motion, but any other suitable device may besubstituted. I also mount on the plate, a, brackets, h 7L2, to which Ipivot arms, t t rigidly connected by a bar, 76, and carrying at theirfree ends the usual clip pivots, m m for holding the music roll.Co-axially with these arms, i i but rotatable independently, I mount asecond pair of arms, n n similarly connected by a bar, 0, and carryingthe take-up roller, r, on to which the music sheet is wound when thepiano is actuated. The arms, n 17., also carry small rollers, s 3adapted to engage with spring clips, 29, t mounted on brackets h, 7%,and so hold the arms, n '0 in their operative posltlon.

The roller, r, is provided with the usual hook, u, or the like for theattachment of the music sheet and has rigidly secured to it the gearwheel, 4), adapted to mesh with the pinion, w, carried by the motionshaft, w. This shaft is operated from any suitable source of power bymeans for instance of the sprocket, 2, attached to it and is moreoverslidable longitudinally in. bearings provided for the purpose in thebrackets, 7L 7L2.

Loose on the shaft, 90, I provide a chain wheel, 2, prevented frommoving longitudinally by means of the bent plate, 3, or the like securedto the bracket, h and engaging With the circumferential groove, 4,formed on the hub portion of the chain wheel, 2. The chain wheel, 2, isconnected by the chain, 5, to a compound chain wheel, 6, pivotedco-aXially with the arms, t t and n a and likewise rotatableindependently, the chain wheel, 6, being in turn connected by means ofthe chain, 7, passing over suitable rollers, 8, carried by the arm, 6 toa corresponding wheel, 9, secured to the clip pivot, m

To the plate, a, a lever, 10, is pivotally secured at the point, 11, andcarries a project- (ppm-Pn- 2 011 /4].

ing pin, 12, or the like adapted to engage between two collars, 13, 1t,attached to the shaft, (1;. pin, 15, adapted to co-aet with acorresponding pin, 16, fixed to the hub portion of the chain wheel, 2,operation of the lever, 10, i V to be clutched to or unclutched from themotion 1 shaft, at, as required, the pinion, it, being at thus enablingthe chain wheel, 2,

the same time thrown out of or into gear with the roller wheel, 11. Aquick return motion of the music sheet on to the roller from which ithas been unwound is thus secured.

The action of the complete device is as follows: If it is desired tooperate the piano, the arms, t i are swung out from their inoperativeposition below the keyboard, (see Fig. r) into the operative positionshown in Fig. the position of the tracker bar being also changed asshown in. the same figures.

A roll of music is then inserted between the 1 clips carried by thearms, L1, t", and the end of the roll is secured to the hook, it, on theroller, 2; the arms, a 21 carrying this roller, which have been swungout from below the keyboard for this latter purpose are then. returnedand secured by the spring clips, P, i this motion serving also tostretch the music sheet over the tracker bar into its operativeposition. The mechanism may then be set in operation and when desired,by actuating the lever, 10, may be reversed thus re-wind l ing the musicsheet at an increased speed on to the roller from which it has beendrawn as explained above. then be removed and the arms, i, i and thetracker bar returned to their inoperati 0 position below the keyboard.

The usual tempo regulating devices and the like may also be arranged inconjunction with the device above described, so as to fold back belowthe keyboard when not. required.

Itwill be seen that with the mechanism thus constructed the music-sheetis in plain view during the operation of playing the piano mechanicallyand the operator may readily see the expression marks thereon.

Also when the mechanism for operating mechanically is not in use, it maybe moved back under the keyboard so as to be not only 1 out of view butalso removed to such position 1 that it will not be in the way of aperson sitting at the piano to performthereonmanually. For this reasonthere is little danger of accidental injury to the mechanism. Furtheradvantages charz'tcteristie of this construction result largely frommounting the tracker independently of the swinging frame these are thatshorter lengths of tubing leading to the tracker are required and thereis less slack tubing when the tracker is j Bv in the retracted orinoperative position. the provision of a second swinging frame for thetake-up roll, the latter may be located One of these collars, 13,carries a i The music roll may:

under the keyboard but can be swung out beyond the keyboard tofacilitate attaching the end of a roll thereto.

' Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination of a keyboard musicalinstrument, a. frame pivotally mounted on the casing thereof below thekeyboard, means on said frame for supporting a roll for a music-sheet,said frame being adapted to be swung about its pivots to carry said rolli from a position below the keyboard to an operative position above thesame, a tracker mounted on said casing below the keyboard independentlyof said frame, and. a second roll for the music-sheet mounted on theside of said tracker opposite that of-said lirstnamed roll when thelatter is in the operative position, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, a frame pivotallymounted on the casing thereof below the keyboard, means on said framefor supporting a roll for a music-sheet, said frame being adapted to beswung about its pivots to carry said roll from a position below thekeyboard to an operative position above the same, a tracker mounted toslide upon said casing below the keyboard independently of said frameand a 1 second roll for the music-sheet mounted on i the side of saidtracker opposite that of said 1 first-named roll when the latter is inoperl ative position, substantially as described.

I). The combination of a keyboard musical 1 instrument, a framepivotally mounted on l the casing thereof below the keyl'ioard, l meanson said frame for supporting a roll y for a music-sheet, said framebeing adapted to be swung about its pivots to carrysaid roll from aposition below the keyboard to an operative position above the same, atracker mounted on said casing below the keyboard independently of saidframe, and a second roll for the music-sheet mounted below the keyboardof the instrument, substantially as described.

it. The combination of a. keyboard musical instrument, a frame pivotallymounted on the easing thereof below the keyboard, means on said framefor supporting a. roll for a music-sheet, said frame being adapted to beswung about its pivots to carry said roll from position. below thekeyboard to an operative position above the same, a tracker mounted toslide upon the casing below the keyboard so that its edge projectsbeyond the keyboard and second roll for the musicsheet mounted below thekeyboard, substantially as described.

The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, two framesimlepemlently pivoted on the casing thereof below the keyboard, means oneach of said frames for supporting a roll for a music-sheet and atracker swam to coact with the music-sheet on said rolls, substantiallyas described.

6. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, two frames pivotedon the casing thereof below the keyboard and adapted to swing about thesame axis, means on each of said frames for supporting a roll for aporting a roll for a music-sl'leet, each of said frames being adapted tobe swung on its pivots to carry the roll thereon forward. of thekeyboard, and a tracker to coact with a music-sheet on said rolls,substantially as described.

8. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, a frame pivotallymounted on the casing tl'lGIGOf below the keyboard, means on saidfraniie for supporting a roll for a music-sheet, said frame beingadapted. to be swung about its pivots to carry said roll from a positionbelow the keyboard to an operative position above the same, a trackermounted on the casing below the keyboard, a second frame pivotallymounted on the casing below the keyboard, and means on said frame forsupporting a roll for the musicsheet, substantially as described.

9, The combination. of a keyboard musical .instrumcnt, a frame pivotallymounted. on the casing thereof below the keyboard, means on said framefor supporting a roll for a musicsheet, said frame being adapted to beswung about its pivots to carry said roll from a position. below thekeyboard to an operative position above the same, a tracker mounted toslide upon. the casing below the keyboard so that its edge projectsbeyond the keyboard, a second frame pivotally mounted. on the casingbelow the keyboard and means on said. frame for supporting a roll forthe music-sheet, substantially as described.

10. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, a tracker .mountedbelow the keyboard and projecting beyond the forward edge thereof, meansfor supporting a roll for a music-sheet in operative position above thekeyboard and means for supporting a second roll for the music-sheet inoperative position under the keyboard, substantially as described.

11. The. combination of a keyboard musical instrument, a tracker mountedbelow the keyboard and projecting beyond the forward edge thereof, aframe pivotally mounted below the keyboard, means thereon for supportinga roll for a music-sheet, said frame being adapted to be swung about itspivots to carry said roll to operative position above the keyboard, andmeans for supporting a second roll for the music-sheet in operativeposition under the keyboard, substantially as described.

12. The combination of a keyboard musical instrun'ient, a trackermounted below the keyboard and projecting beyond the forward edgethereof, a frame pivotally mounted below the keyboard, means thereon forsupporting a roll for a music-sheet, said frame being adapted to beswung about its pivots to carry said roll above the keyboard, a secondframe pivotally mounted below the keyboard and means on said frame forsupporting a roll for a music-sheet, substantially as described.

12). The combination of a keyboard musi cal instrument, a trackermounted on the casing thereof below the keyboard. with. its edgeprojecting beyond the edge of the keyboard, means for supporting a rollfor a music-sheet in operative position under the keyboard, and meansfor supporting a roll for the music-sheet above the tracker in suchposition that a music-sheet passing from one of said rolls to the othercoacts with said tracker, substantially described.

141. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, a tracker mountedto slide on the casing thereof below the keyboard to and from a positionin which it projects beyond the edge of the keyboard, means forsupporting a roll for a music-sheet under the keyboard, and means forsupporting a roll for the 1nusic-sheet above the tracker in suchposition that a music-sheet passing from one of said rolls to the othercoacts with said tracker, substantially as described.

15. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, a tracker mountedto slide on the casing thereof below the keyboard to and from a positionin which it projects beyond the edge of the keyboard, means forsupporting a roll for a musicsheet under the keyboard, a frame pivotallymounted below the keyboard, and means thereon for supporting a roll forthe music-sheet, said frame being adapted to be swung about its pivotsto carry the roll thereon above the tracker to such position that amusic-sheet passing from one of said rolls to the other coacts with saidtracker, substantially as described.

16. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, two framespivotally mounted below said keyboard one inde endently of the other,means on each 0 said. frames for supporting a roll for a music-sheet,each of said. frames being adapted to be swung about its pivots to andfrom an operative position, a clamp for holding one of said frames inthe operative position, and a tracker coacting with a music-sheetpassing from one of said rolls to the other, substan tially asdescribed.

17. In a mechanically-operated, keyboard,

musical instrument, the combination of a keyboard, two frames pivotallymounted below the same and adapted to be independently swung about theirpivots to and from operative positions, means on each of said frames forcarrying a roll for a music-sheet, a gear for driving one of said rolls,a gear mounted on the casing of the instrument independently of saidframes and means for driving the same, and a clamping device for holdingthe parts in a position in which said gears are in mesh, substantiallyas described.

1-8. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, a frame pivotallymounted in the casing thereof below the keyboard, means on said framefor supporting aroll for a music-sheet, said frame being adapted to beswung about its pivots to carry said roll from a position below thekeyboard to an operative position above the same, means for driving aroll carried by said frame a tracker mounted on said casing below thekeyboard independently of said frame, and a second roll for themusic-sheet mounted on the side of said tracker opposite that of saidfirst.- named roll when the latter is in the operative position,substantially as described.

it). The. combination of a keyboard musical instrument, a trackermounted on the casing thereof below the keyboard with its edgeprojecting beyond the edge of the keyboard,a frame pivot-ally mountedbelow the keyboard, means thereon for supporting a roll for amusic-sheet, said frame being adapted to be swung about its pivots tocarry said roll above the tracker, means for supporting a second rollfor the music-sheet under the keyboard, and means for driving saidlastnamed roll, substantially as described.

20. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, a tracker mountedon the casing thereof below the keyboard with its edge projecting beyondthe edge of the keyboard, means for supporting a roll for a music-sheetin operative position under the ke\ board, means for supporting a rollfor the music-sheet in operative position above the 1 tracker in suchposition that av music-sheet 1 i i l sical instrument, a tracker mountedto slide on the casing thereof below the keyboard to and from a positionin which it projects beyond the edge of the keyboard, means forsupporting a roll for a music-sheet under the keyboard, a framepivotally mounted below the keyboard, means thereon for supporting aroll for the music sheet, said frame being adapted to be swung about its)ivots to carry the roll thereon above the tracker to such po sitionthat a music-sheet passing from one of said rolls to the other coactswith said tracker, and means for driving one or the other of said rolls,substantially as described.

22. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, two frames pivotedon the casing thereof below the keyboard, means on each of said framesfor supporting a roll for a music-sheet, said frames being adapted to beswung about the same axis to carry the rolls thereon from operative toinoperative positions, means for driving one or the other of said rollswhen in the operative position, and a tracker to coact with. amusic-sheet passing from one of said rolls to the other, substantiallyas described.

23. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, a tracker mountedin operative position upon the casing of the instrument, said trackerlying adjacent to the under surface of the keyboard of the instrumentand being incapable of movement above that surface, its operative edgeproj ecting beyond the forward etlge of the keyboard, and rolls for amusic-sheet located in operative position one above said tracker and theother below and under said tracker and keyboard, substantially asdescribed.

24. The combination of a keyboard musical instrument, a tracker mountedto slide on the casing thereof below the keyboard to carry its operativeedge beyond the forward edge of the keyboard, and means for drawing amusic-sheet across the operative edge of the tracker, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EMILE HERZ KLABER.

\Vitnesses:

BERTRAM H. MATTHEws, FRANCIS J. BIGNELL.

